T o let my son chase pigeons

[mrsruffallo]

DS loves chasing flocks of pigeons. Every time we go to the park he and his friends scream with delight as they fly away.
Woman in the park today got very angry and told me that 'pigeons have feelings too' and that IT WAS CRUEL.
Funnily enough there was something along similar lines on CBeebies the other day.
AIBU to think it's just a bit of fun?

Dorothy.. jogging analogy works in a way but for me it's more about what you're saying is acceptable for the child to do.

I agree with those other posters who have pointed out that there is a difference between pigeons being startled by a car driving past or someone walking along minding their own business, and allowing or even encouraging small children to run up to them and scare them away. Pigeons are not there to entertain children through their fear response.

Do the same parents who let their children do this also let their children pull dogs ears and cats tails? Cut up worms? Set fire to ants with magnifying glasses? With what species does it become okay? Adults might class those activities as "cruel" but to children it's all the same fun, so why not?

YAB a teeeeeensy bit U - for the reasons freename states and also because they fly up and freak people out. Having said that some old man had a go at ds once for doing it - as happened with mrsruffallo - and it annoyed me a bit, I think because I thought he thought I condoned it, iyswim. He was tiny btw (ds, not the old man).
Living in a city overrun with the buggers I can't stand them. The seagulls are worse, though.

FFS this is brilliant. Rescuing snails - genuinely never heard the like.

Traumatising pigeons by running in their direction? OMG

I think I live in a parallel universe because no-one I have ever met would ever give a toss about this. And NO it does not mean you don't respect animals. The harsh truth is our respect for animals has limits.

Personally I don't see the harm in chasing a few pigeons, kids chase each other don't they?! surely this is harmless fun.

Anyway if the pigeons had anything about them they'd use their little brains and drop a plop from a great height on a gaggle of kids....what goes around comes around (is that the right way round)

But actually we don't have to eat meat to live - we could all live much more healthily and efficiently (in terms of land use) if we didn't eat meat (I say this as a meat eater)

So anyone who does eat meat is really putting animals through suffering for their own enjoyment, and no other reason.

So all you pigeon-defenders on this thread are being a bit hypocritical if you are not staunch vegetarians or vegans.

SquirrelTrap - why not? dd loves animals, she gets sad if she sees one get killed (and that includes if she stands on a snail), and so she moves them out of the way of the pavement. I admire her for her compassion for other species.

Similarly we do not squash flies/wasps/spiders, but catch them in jamjars and put them outside.

Would it be fair to say that the same people who let their children run round in pizza restaurants also let them chase pigeons?

It's just that attitude that 'pigeons are there for our entertainment, if my child wants to torment them, then why not?'

There were some teenagers round our area who were caught throwing food onto a busy road to tempt the pigeons into the way of the cars. Lots of the birds were run over. But hey, they're only pigeons.

I would prefer to teach an attitude of respect and kindness.

Jamie, freename: I see your point but I just don't agree that the pigeons are necessarily frightened by this toddler behaviour. As others have said, they generally settle again immediately very nearby -- it just doesn't seem like they are all that fussed. I'm not saying I have a special insight into pigeon feelings, but that cuts both ways: nobody on this thread really does, we're all going by how it seems to us.

Also - pulling a spider's legs off damages it permanently and makes it harder for the creature to function properly. I don't think you can really compare that with running towards pigeons so that they move.

My DS has not yet reached pigeon chasing stage (2) -- perhaps I'll change my mind when I see him trying it ...

YANBU end of.

YABVVU. It's just unkind behaviour. The pigeons clearly don't like it - if they did, they wouldn't move away at speed, would they? So, all you are teaching your child is that it is ok to be cruel to something that you don't care about and that can't stand up for itself. Would you allow a bigger child to chase your child round and round? Thought not.

Also don't see why being a meat eater is at all relevant. I eat meat, but I always ensure that the animals I eat have been treated well during their lifetime by buying free range meat. Eating meat and caring about animal welfare are not mutually exclusive.

Lady I cannot deny it. I also eat meat.

So that makes me smug, sanctimonious and hypocritical

What about the little boy in the playground who if you sneak up behind him and pull his hair will scream and run away? Or the little girl who you can make have a meltdown by poking her? Or the baby who you can make cry by roaring at them?

Is that fun too? None of those things 'physically hurt' the child, so they must be ok by this reasoning?

Totally baffled that some people equate pigeon-startling with cutting up or otherwise mutilating/hurting worms, cats, dogs, etc.

How is briefly startling a bird the same as chopping up a worm? A toddler running towards a group of pigeons is exploring the fact that the world around her reacts to what she does. It's unlikely that will lead her down a slippery slope to inflicting physical damage.

Where I used to work, pigeons used to land on a flat roof and bonk, it was right in front of my line of vision out the window. Not a pretty sight.

Good point Lily - what about strangers just running and shouting at groups of children, making them cry and run away? I think that sounds very entertaining and may try it in the park later. If anyone has a go at me I'll tell them to f-off because it's only a bit of fun and there won't be any lasting damage. Lots of kids are too fat these days and could use the exercise anyway.

Dorothea - a toddler pulling a cat's tail is only exploring what happens too. If you see them do it you tell them not to and make sure they don't do it again, you don't encourage them.

We have a particular beam on our pergola? ( wooden thing of no purpose outside the back door). It is the local pigeon brothel. Sorry, obviously it does have a purpose then, my mistake.

BalloonSlayer You could put those spiky things up to stop 'em. that would look very attractive

Perhaps my views on the chasing subject have been coloured by my never having noticed 'innocent delight at interacting with the animal kingdom and the wonders of nature' on the face of any small child I have seen chasing birds.

The expressions I have noticed have all been something else altogether.

Lily, come on, I don't think anyone is insisting that there are no limits on behaviour unless it is physically harmful. Of course there are, and of course the hypothetical behaviour you describe would be horrible. I just don't agree that a toddler running towards a group of pigeons is on the same level.

No, Jamie, pigeons need somewhere to shag, just like everyone else.

I wish they'd wait till we've shut the curtains though.

yabu
It is horrid and I always stopped ds from doing it
I do think it it is built into kids to want to do it though, a bit like stamping in leaves

Wonders to self....

what would a child do to a pigeon if they managed to catch one?